Uneven skin tone: evening out tan, patches and darker areas

Dark spots are the thing our skin test hears about most, from 85% of everyone who takes it. But a lot of people don't really mean single spots. They mean a forehead darker than the cheeks, a tan line where a helmet strap or mask sat, a shadow above the lip, or cheeks that look patchy in photos.

That's uneven tone, and it's worth knowing which kind you have before you buy anything.

Which kind of uneven?

Tan is the simplest. Skin the sun reaches is darker than skin it doesn't: the backs of your hands against your palms, your face against your neck. Tan fades on its own over months once the skin is protected, and a gentle acid speeds that up a little.

Marks from old spots are flat brown or purple patches where pimples used to be. They have their own guide: fading dark spots.

Patches that are symmetrical, on both cheeks, the forehead or above the lip, and get darker in summer, can be melasma. Hormones, the pill, pregnancy and heat all play a part, and it needs a dermatologist to diagnose. It also behaves differently: even heat from cooking or a hot kitchen can darken it, and harsh treatments make it worse. If that sounds like you, please see a doctor before starting anything strong.

Darkness around the mouth is very common on brown skin and has several causes. Gentle care and sunscreen help; picking, scrubbing and lip-licking make it worse.

Sunscreen does most of the work

Every brightening serum on earth loses to an unprotected afternoon on a rickshaw. Use two finger-lengths for your face and neck every morning, and reapply every two to three hours when you're outside. A light, watery one like Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence is easy to wear under Dhaka heat. A hat, an umbrella or a scarf on the commute does as much as the sunscreen. Our sunscreen guide covers how to pick one.

One serum, used for months

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum puts two well-studied tone-evening ingredients in one bottle. Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha Arbutin is gentler, and a good choice if niacinamide has ever made you red. If you're stuck between them, our niacinamide vs tranexamic acid vs alpha arbutin guide goes through it.

Pick one and give it eight to twelve weeks. Switching every fortnight means never finding out what works.

A gentle acid, once or twice a week

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner helps tanned surface cells shed a little faster. Once or twice a week is plenty, and less if your skin stings. Don't use it on freshly threaded or waxed skin.

Small tricks that help

• Take a photo in the same window light today, and again every four weeks. Mirrors lie; photos are honest.
• Sunscreen goes on the ears, neck and backs of the hands too. Uneven tone often shows there first.
• Keep a sunscreen in your bag and reapply before you head out at lunch.
• Pat products onto darker areas. Rubbing and friction darken brown skin.
• If you have to choose between the morning and night serum, choose consistency over strength.

Please skip the bleaching creams

Loose "whitening" and "fairness" creams, sold in plain tubs and unlabelled jars, are the biggest danger here. Some contain strong steroids such as clobetasol, and some contain mercury. They lighten the skin at first, then thin it, bring out acne and stretch marks, and the patches often come back darker than before. Hydroquinone is a real treatment, but it belongs with a doctor's supervision, not a market stall.

When to see a dermatologist

See a doctor for patches that match on both sides of the face, patches that are lighter or white rather than darker, areas that are spreading quickly, itching or scaling, or a mole or dark spot that's changing shape or colour.

We sell the products named here, so weigh our picks with that in mind.